“Haaah…”
Having returned home, an exhausted Rodi set the blue-green jewelry box down on the table.
‘To think I went through all that trouble for this one thing.’
Simone really was relentless.
‘Trying to return the jewelry box to Yubar no matter what was just like her, being the good girl that she is.’
At the same time, that very “goodness” was precisely why she disliked the character named Simone.
‘To be honest, it’s not that I hate good people.’
However, Simone’s “goodness” was all too similar to the efforts Yunseo had once made in her past life as a “good” daughter.
Putting others before herself.
Suppressing her own hopes for the sake of others’ hopes.
Like a mirror, Simone resembled her.
‘Is this self-loathing…?’
Rodi let out a quiet chuckle.
Whether the reason she disliked Simone was self-loathing or something else didn’t matter.
‘I’m a villainess anyway.’
There was never any chance she would grow close to Simone.
‘More importantly, Likens’s attitude bothers me.’
That attitude of his, acting as if he knew something about her.
‘Even searching through Rodi’s memories, she had no special connection with Likens.’
It was truly strange.
‘I was planning to sell a house to Likens next after Yubar, too.’
An unexpected variable in her plans would be troublesome.
‘It’ll be fine… right?’
After searching and reviewing the memories floating around in her head from before her reincarnation several times, she let out a long sigh.
‘Yubar will arrive in this village soon. For now, let’s focus on him.’
Rodi stepped over to the table and flipped the blue-green jewelry box upside down.
A faint rectangular seam was visible on the bottom. It was constructed so that one wouldn't notice it without examining it very closely.
She wedged the tip of her fingernail into the seam’s crevice.
‘If it’s like the game, this bottom panel should definitely come off…’
Click.
The rectangular bottom panel popped free, revealing a small hidden compartment.
‘This is an incredible design for hiding jewels.’
She didn't know which craftsman had made the jewelry box, but he was certainly someone who loved secrets.
Rodi peered into the small space beneath the jewelry box.
Inside lay a faded slip of paper.
‘Found it.’
The jewelry box was important, but this note was a hundred times more so.
‘Even in the game, this slip of paper was the essential key to romancing Yubar.’
She couldn't even remember how many times she had reloaded save files because she had failed to find this single note.
‘Not that I especially want to romance Yubar, but…’
For now, she had no intention of stealing the male protagonists from Simone.
‘Love is a hassle.’
Besides, she knew all too well how relentlessly obsessive the male protagonists became once they fell in love.
‘I just want to get rich and live comfortably in peace.’
And this item was essential to selling the house right away.
Rodi carefully unfolded the slip of paper.
Rustle.
A short passage was written on the note.
Reading the sentences slowly, Rodi exhaled a sigh of relief.
‘With this, Yubar’s hostility toward me should soften a bit.’
And then, she would sell him the house.
“Hehehe…”
A property owner is a god, and I will definitely become a god!
Wearing the wicked grin that had become second nature to her, Rodi carefully put the jewelry box away.
✦ ✦ ✦
A few days later, an ornate carriage halted in Lagro Village.
The carriage, tinted the color of ivory, bore an engraving of a slender crescent moon.
Stepping down from it, a handsome middle-aged man spoke.
“I cannot hold a conversation with you at all. Why must you nag so much?”
Stepping down behind him, a young man retorted without backing down an inch.
“I return those words right back to you, Father. You are completely impossible to reason with.”
Because the two men—clearly father and son—were so striking and handsome, eyes naturally turned their way.
Unbothered by the stares, however, the two continued their bickering.
“Why are you so averse to coming here?”
The young man let out a long sigh.
“I carefully selected only the finest resorts for you, Father. Yet to reject them all and come to a countryside like this…”
“What can I do when none of those places caught my eye?”
“If there is something you desire, I would have prepared everything to match your wishes.”
“Something I desire…”
The middle-aged man wore a complicated expression.
“You likely could not match it.”
The young man scowled.
“You won't tell me precisely what it is, and you keep saying things like that. Isn't that why I find this so frustrating?”
“That is because an emotionless fellow like you could never understand.”
“I return those words right back to you. I hardly believe I am as cold-hearted as you, Father.”
“Hmph, you never concede a single word.”
His father, Noien, surveyed their surroundings. The peaceful scenery of the village met his eyes.
“More importantly, why were you trembling in dread at the thought of coming here?”
“I don't recall trembling in dread. I merely avoided it because I know who resides in this area.”
“Who is here?”
Frowning, the young man, Yubar, spat the words out.
“A wicked villainess.”
“A villainess?”
Noien scoffed.
“Spouting childish nonsense, completely unlike you.”
Yubar shook his head.
“You wouldn't know, Father. Just how vicious that woman is…”
Noien sneered teasingly.
“Why? Did you confess your love and get rejected?”
Shuddering, Yubar’s face went dead serious.
“Spare me the horrifying thought. I don't harbor an ounce of romantic sentiment toward that woman.”
He added in a solemn tone,
“She is truly the worst kind of woman. She plunges everyone around her into misery.”
“What foolish nonsense. There is no such thing as a villainess in this world.”
“It's the truth. You must have heard the rumors in the capital at least once yourself, Father. The second daughter of the ducal house of Evant—”
“Unlike you, I do not lend an ear to the words of fools, so I know nothing of it. Besides, as I just said, there are no ‘villainesses’ in this world.”
“Why do you deny the word ‘villainess’ so vehemently? I have never seen anyone as wicked as that woman.”
Suddenly, Noien looked earnestly at his son.
“Yubar, there is no absolute evil or good in this world.”
“…”
“Human good and evil are relative. What is the worst existence to one person can be the best existence to someone else.”
Yubar pushed back.
“That is nothing more than sophistry. Evil people clearly exist in this world.”
“Perhaps. But I am skeptical whether the woman you speak of is truly an evil person.”
As if finding him impossible to get through to, Yubar shook his head.
“Honestly, Father…”
“People sometimes define others with utter shallowness and folly.”
Lost in thought, Noien gazed into the distance.
“Without caring in the least what that person harbors inside, merely because they do not cater to their own tastes.”
“…It is something everyone in high society agrees upon.”
“Because high society is where that judgment about the woman was made, I say this all the more. That tendency is especially severe there.”
“…”
“When you look at others, do not be swayed by the words of those around you. Judge them accurately with your own eyes.”
He turned his head to look at his son.
“Yubar, give it some deeper thought yourself.”
Noien’s gaze was exceedingly serious.
“Haven’t you defined her as a ‘villainess’ simply because she didn’t act to your liking as well?”
“…”
Unable to think of a fitting retort, Yubar remained silent.
✦ ✦ ✦
Trickle…
Meanwhile, the wicked villainess Rodi was watering the flowers in her garden.
‘Grow well.’
She hoped the garden’s flowers would maintain their beautiful, radiant state as they were now.
‘Because if they do…’
Noien would never be able to just pass this place by.
Finishing the watering, Rodi went inside the house to inspect her attire.
‘Neat enough.’
Unlike before, she had wiped away her heavy makeup and was dressed neatly.
The reason was simple. She had a house to sell, and if the owner looked suspicious, it wouldn't inspire any trust.
After all, wasn't trust the foundation of any transaction?
‘It should be about time…’
Rodi carried a small wooden chair out into the garden.
Then, she began reading a green-covered novel she had bought from the village bookstore.
“…”
About an hour after she began reading in the garden,
footsteps along with a sighing murmur drifted over the low stone wall.
“Insolent brat, always acting as if he's the only grown-up around…”
A gentle breeze stirred.
Riding the soft wind, the fragrance of the flowers blooming profusely in the garden drifted over the wall.
‘This scent…?’
Passing by the red-brick house, Noien reflexively stopped in his tracks.
‘I haven’t seen these often in recent days.’
Stepping closer to the wall, he saw flowers blooming radiantly, glistening with moisture.
“Ah, as expected, these flowers are…”
“Lisianthus.”
The young woman who had been reading in the garden approached. She was a beauty with purple hair and cool, sharp eyes.
Smiling softly, she asked,
“Are you interested in these flowers?”
At the same time, Rodi peered quietly at Noien’s system window.
[Name: Noien
Age: 49
Weaknesses: Guilt over his deceased wife, ??, ??]
